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India’s Shubman Gill and Shafali Verma have been named the ICC Men’s and Women’s Players of the Month for September 2026, completing another awards double for Indian cricket.
Gill received the men’s honour after a remarkable ODI series against the West Indies, highlighted by a record-breaking double-century. Shafali earned the women’s award after starring in India’s successful Women’s Asia Cup campaign and gold-medal run at the 2026 Asian Games.
The International Cricket Council announced the winners on October 13, 2026. Gill has now won the men’s award five times, while Shafali has collected her second monthly honour.
Gill’s performances against the West Indies made him a standout candidate for the men’s award. He began the ODI series with 110 in Thiruvananthapuram before producing an extraordinary innings in the second match.
Chasing 406 in Guwahati, Gill scored an unbeaten 223 from 133 deliveries. His innings included 26 fours and eight sixes, helping India complete the chase with eight wickets in hand and 39 balls remaining.
The double-century was the fastest in men’s ODI history by balls faced and became the highest individual score in a successful ODI chase. It also reinforced Gill’s standing as one of India’s leading batters in the format.
The September honour is Gill’s fifth ICC Men’s Player of the Month award, extending his record in the men’s category. His previous wins came in January and September 2023, followed by February and July 2025.
The award recognises not only the volume of runs he scored but also the impact of his performances in two major international matches.
Shafali’s award followed an impressive month in which India won the Women’s Asia Cup and the women’s cricket gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games.
The opening batter accumulated 360 runs across seven T20 internationals during September, averaging 72.00 at a strike rate of 184.61. She also contributed six wickets, demonstrating her value with both bat and ball.
At the Women’s Asia Cup, Shafali scored 236 runs in five innings to finish as the tournament’s leading run-scorer. Her contributions included 64 in the semi-final against Bangladesh and 68 in the final against Sri Lanka, where India secured its eighth Asia Cup title.
She carried that form into the Asian Games in Japan, scoring an unbeaten 100 against Bangladesh in the semi-final before making 48 in the gold-medal match against Sri Lanka.
Her performances across the two tournaments helped India secure major team honours and made her a strong candidate for the women’s monthly award.
The September award is Shafali’s second ICC Player of the Month title. Her first came in November 2025, following her match-winning contribution in India’s Women’s Cricket World Cup final victory over South Africa.
The latest recognition reflects her consistency across multiple competitions and her ability to contribute in high-pressure matches.
Her aggressive approach at the top of the order helped India establish strong starts, while her bowling provided an additional option for the team. The combination of runs, wickets and match-winning contributions made September a particularly productive period for the Indian opener.
The latest results mean players from the same cricket board have won both the men’s and women’s ICC Player of the Month awards for the fifth time overall. India has achieved the double three times.
The previous Indian doubles came in June 2024, when Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana won the respective awards, and September 2025, when Abhishek Sharma and Mandhana received the honours.
The September 2026 awards underline the strength of India’s representation across the men’s and women’s international game.
Gill’s achievements came in ODI cricket, while Shafali’s performances spanned T20 internationals at the Women’s Asia Cup and Asian Games. Their successes highlight different routes to international recognition through individual performance and contributions to team victories.
Individual awards recognise outstanding performances over a defined period, but both Gill and Shafali also contributed to significant team results.
Gill’s double-century helped India complete a major ODI run chase against the West Indies. Shafali’s performances were central to India’s successful campaigns in two major women’s tournaments.
The awards also provide a snapshot of India’s depth in international cricket, with players from both national teams producing exceptional performances during the same month.
Shubman Gill and Shafali Verma have capped an outstanding September by winning the ICC Men’s and Women’s Players of the Month awards.
Gill’s fifth award followed his record-breaking 223 against the West Indies, while Shafali’s second honour recognised her run-scoring and all-round contributions to India’s Women’s Asia Cup and Asian Games victories.
With India claiming both awards for the third time, the announcement marks another notable moment for the country’s men’s and women’s cricket teams.
International Cricket Council (ICC) — “Gill and Verma win ICC Player of the Month awards for September.” Published October 13, 2026.
https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/gill-and-verma-win-icc-player-of-the-month-awards-for-september
Official confirmation of both winners, their award histories and the awards double.
International Cricket Council (ICC) — “ICC Player of the Month nominees for September revealed.” Published October 6, 2026.
https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/icc-player-of-the-month-nominees-for-september-revealed-x1353
Supports the September performance statistics and the original shortlists.
International Cricket Council (ICC) — “India cruise to record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title.” Published September 13, 2026.
https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/india-cruise-to-record-extending-eighth-women-s-asia-cup-title
Confirms Shafali’s performance in the Women’s Asia Cup final and India’s title win.
Sportstar, The Hindu — “Shubman Gill, Shafali Verma win ICC Player of the Month awards.”
https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/shubman-gill-shafali-verma-win-icc-player-of-month-awards/article71578228.ece
The supplied source article.
